Faculty Readiness for Emergency Online Teaching in Moroccan Universities: Mixed-Methods Evidence and PD Implications

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic forced higher education institutions worldwide to adopt emergency remote teaching, posing particular challenges in resource-constrained contexts such as Morocco. This study examines faculty readiness for online teaching during the crisis, focusing on three public universities. A concurrent mixed-methods design was employed, combining survey data from 27 professors with interviews from 8 participants. Results indicate that while most faculty rated themselves as intermediate or advanced in ICT competence, fewer integrated interactive or diversified pedagogical practices into their online teaching. Interviews revealed further difficulties, including limited professional training, heavy workloads, student disengagement, and assessment concerns. Nonetheless, faculty also reported gains in technological proficiency and a growing openness to blended learning approaches. These findings underscore the paradox between technical confidence and pedagogical application, highlighting the urgent need for structured professional development and institutional support. The study contributes empirical evidence from the Moroccan context to the broader literature on digital pedagogy, offering lessons for building resilient and inclusive higher education systems in the Global South.